Wednesday, January 7, 2009

While the economy burns, Laura Bush splurges on $500K dishes for the White House.

There are so many problems with this I don't know where to start... let's jump right in....
WASHINGTON (AP) - First lady Laura Bush showed off a new gold-rimmed set of official George W. Bush state china on Wednesday, with less than two weeks to use it before the family packs up for Texas.

The $493,000 set was inspired by a few pieces of green basketweave-patterned French china in the White House collection believed to have come from James and Dolley Madison. It was paid for by a privately funded trust of the White House Historical Association, which also purchased a second, less formal set.

Laura Bush said she commissioned the dinnerware because of breakage and a need for more settings for larger events, and added a second Magnolia-patterned set for $74,000 for use at private family dinners and smaller events.

She said she was aware of criticism her predecessors received for buying expensive china, but said it was paid for with private money and that when the process started, "the economy was a lot better than it is today."
Okay Mrs. First Lady, you seem awful nice and all, and you must have some amazing distortion reality field around you that clouds your ability to understand the real world and your husbands horrendous effect on it, but this should have been a no-brainer... may I explain?
  1. $493,000 is an obscene price to pay for place settings, regardless of when you ordered it.  Even though the economy in 2006 was not as poor as todays, we were still in the red.  Would maybe the 100K set have sufficed?  200K?  Is 300K china too "Wal-Mart" for you?
  2. You may not know this, but $500K is more than most people will ever see in a lifetime of working, including their homes.  Regardless of who paid for it, this sticks a thumb in the arse of every American who wasn't born with a silver spoon in their mouth.  That historical trust that paid for the dishes could have used that money for any number of other things, including historical preservation, grants to aspiring historians, or acquiring precious artifacts that are important to American history.
  3. Especially now, in this current economy, you should have understood this as unacceptable.  If you were stuck with them, it'd have been better to auction them off and give the proceeds to charity.
  4. I don't care if f#cking Blake Carrington was coming for brunch, a more modest dinner service would make a finer statement. There could be no finer message to world leaders than to eat off of modest dishes, as they are supposed represent the people... right?  You are not royalty, it's insane you expect to eat as one. 
  5. I don't care if the Clinton's had pricey dishes too.  They shouldn't have.
  6. Calling it the official George W. Bush state china adds insult to injury.  Have you no clue what the majority of Americans think of your husband's leadership?  
I can only hope that the Obama's are not as tone deaf as you are to the nation's struggle, and quickly dispense with this ridiculous symbol of excessive extravagance.  The new administration could make no finer statement than to receive incoming heads of state with elegant, modest, and economically appropriate dishes.

READ ABOUT IT:








No comments: